


Those Nights

by Asauna



Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Bleeding Effect, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-12-03
Updated: 2011-12-03
Packaged: 2017-10-26 20:20:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/287451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asauna/pseuds/Asauna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Desmond and Shaun have always had a bit of a heated relationship. But underlying their arguments, there is obviously something more going on. But no that they've come out of the closet, Desmond's Bleeding Effect has been taking a toll for the worst.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Night 1: Distant Pleasures

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a quick story I started and ended up continuing. It will flip between a 3rd person POV and Desmond's POV. You'll be warned before it switches.

_You know, I've encountered so many emotions in the last month or two, it's kind of ridiculous. And with each emotion, I've felt a pain. Sometimes, they come back after I've finished with the Animus. Like that feeling of regret and misery Altair felt after letting his mind trail upon the pain that Malik must have gone through after losing his brother and limb. Or sometimes, I would see or dream things of Ezio that I haven't yet seen in the Animus. Some nights, he would wake from his sleep in surprise with a pained look. Whenever I dream, I can see him as if I was looking down at him. And he always was torn inside. His nightmare usually was of his father and siblings being hung, and how helpless he felt._

 _But these aren't my emotions. These thoughts and memories and feelings are just what I've been given from what I've been through. I handle these without much thought because I do my best to shrug it off. These happened many, many years ago and have nothing to do with my personal life. I can't always ward it away, but I do my best. So when I have feelings of my own, and thoughts and questions of what's happening now, it's almost.. Confusing._

 _I'll lay down and try to sleep, though I have a hard time. Whenever I do, I just have more dreams of my ancestors and their hardships. And when dreaming, since everything is real, I can't remind myself not to worry about it. And then there are other times when I'm wandering around and suddenly, I just black out. But whenever I come to, I'm holed up in my room which has been torn apart, with Lucy and Rebecca trying to get my door open which is barricaded shut with the bed I was given. That's one of the things I'll wonder about when laying down. Lucy told me that once, I spoke when like that. I was still walking and moving around and everything, but I looked different. I didn't look like me. And when I spoke, I used a very different accent. She said it almost reminded her of Altair._

 _When that happens, do I lose my mentality more and more to him?_

 _But there's something that somehow bothers me even more than this, though it's a very serious issue. It obviously means that my Bleeding Effect is getting worse. But that's besides the point- It's Shaun. I can't stand him. At first, I got tired of his jokes quick. Then he actually started to act like a normal person and for a few days, quit cracking them on me. But after a while, they started up again. Every time he does this, it bothers me a lot more than it should. At first, I tried to ignore it, which I did._

 _But now, each time he makes a comment, I just feel... I don't know. I just... There's this heavy feeling in the center of my chest. It's almost crippling, I guess I could say. It makes me feel weak and I **hate** it. Then when Lucy has him and I work together, I feel so awkward and uncomfortable, but yet, I want to be closer. I want to ask him things about his life and get to know him better. Yet the more he opens his mouth, the farther away I want to be just so I don't have to hear his smart-ass comments. _

_This sucks. We almost got into it one time too. I called him out on something and we almost got into a fight about it. The odd thing was, when he got close, I felt my heart speed up. I figured it was just the adrenalin, but he seemed to falter a little and questioned if I was feeling alright before literally forcing me out of the room, thinking I had a fever. He apparently didn't want to get sick. Later, Lucy came to see if I was feeling alright. She said that Shaun told her I got all red in the face and looked off while we were working._

 _I can't talk to Lucy about this, because, well... I  have a grave idea of what this could be, but yet, how can it be? I'm a guy, he's a guy, it's all the same. I've always been the type for supple and a bit of an attitude. A brunette usually, maybe a blonde here and there if she wasn't mentally incapacitated. But Shaun... I can't help it. He's strong yet lithe at the same time, and to be honest, has really nice eyes. Ugh, what am I thinking? _

Desmond sighed as he sat up from the bed, brushing his fingers through his hair as he gave a stern frown. His thoughts took him all over the place that night, obviously, which kept him from sleep. He was both pleased and a little disappointed at the same time. Though he still hadn't rested, it meant that he wouldn't have to worry about the nightmare that would come later on. The novice assassin slowly shifted to his feet and looked around the room, spotting his jeans which he'd disposed of on the floor. Grabbing them, he tugged them over his boxers and brushed his tanned fingers over his bare chest, starting quietly out of his bedroom.

The male wandered to the bathroom and did his business before washing his hands and splashing water upon his face. He couldn't keep doing this sort of thing every night. Desmond could see the effects that his lack of sleep was having, just by looking at his features. But after drying off his cheeks and mouth, he made his way for the hallway. The assassin wanted to get a drink, frowning a little. The warehouse was small, but he was glad that it had been modernized upstairs. There were bedrooms, a kitchen, and the bathroom he just used.

The male's bare feet brushed against the red carpet, a small and quiet yawn coming from him. His brows furrowed though as he heard an odd sound coming from one of the rooms, stopping in front of it, trying to figure out what it could have been. It almost sounded like someone was giving off groans, but why? Did they hurt themselves. Desmond sifted past the idea of the sound and listened to the voice behind it, a light frown upon his lips as he realized it was Shaun, making the sound.

His thoughts shifted to that of perversion rather than worry, though the male scowled in mental protest, putting a hand on the side of his head.

 _Lucy must have put something in the Yogurt to get back at him for stealing some of hers... Guess I'll stay away from it then._

But it was as Desmond turned to continue on to the kitchen and get his drink that he heard another set of groans, followed by a small hiss, ignoring the slight shiver of what could've been excitement that rolled along his spine. "Desmond..." He heard Shaun say quietly from within his room, amber orbs widening a little. How did Shaun know that he was out here? He hadn't spoken or anything. He could have been Lucy or Rebecca, after all. It was when he opened his mouth to ask Shaun if he was alright that he heard the Brit speak again, "A-ah, right there. Oh, that's the spot, Des." Shaun whispered, though gave another drawn groan just after speaking.

Desmond could feel his face flush a bright shade of red as he heard that, ear to the door as he listened. This had to just be his mind playing tricks on him, right? Shaun wasn't doing what he thought he was doing in there, during the dead of night. You know, alone, probably only wearing boxers if he wasn't nude. As Desmond's mind trailer farther and farther about the other, his fingers idly brushed along his stomach before hitching the hem of his jeans.

Oh, he loved the sounds Shaun made on the other side of the door, closing his eyes as he rested his forehead against the metallic door. He was able to hear the other, since these rooms weren't air tight, obviously. But the more and more he listened, he found it harder to think about moving away. Rather than doing so, he stayed put, noting that his jeans began to grow tighter and tighter around his crotch.

The man's honey orbs slid away as his right hand hesitantly unbuttoned his denim pants before sliding into them and beneath his boxers, fingers gently curling around the partially-hardened organ, lips parting faintly as he let out a shallow, shaky breath. Was he really going to do this in the middle of the hallway? What if one of the girls woke up and came out, only to catch him in the act? This was... This was wrong, and he knew it.

 _Shaun..._

Tanned fingers squeezed the growing member, his legs widening their stance as he began to slide his hand along himself, listening more and more intently to Shaun groan and roll around in his bed. While doing this, his mind flashed over different scenes, as if trying to find one that would work best for this. First, he imagined Shaun in front of him, wearing a maid outfit. That was always fun. But his mind switched, knowing the historian wasn't that much of a bitch to wear something like that.

Something more... Proper. A teacher, would be more suiting. Yeah, that's good. He could imagine Shaun leaning against the chalkboard, or thrown over his desk. His glasses could be slipping off of his face and he could be saying what he currently was within the comfort of his own bedroom, "Harder, like that.." He'd breathe.

Desmond licked his lips as he shuddered again, feeling a light pulse run along his now fully-grown shaft, squeezing his index finger and thumb around the head, putting his other hand up against the metal door. He made sure not to let the movement create any noise, not wanting to disrupt what Desmond would call a 'beautiful stream of sounds', that left the male's bedroom. This was more than he could ask for on a night of such uncomfortable thoughts. Even though he didn't want to feel those emotions he was thinking about in the bedroom, or the ones that conjured up these perverted situations, he found that he was obviously enjoying them.

In his mind, Desmond had flung the historian onto his back and Shaun had his legs around his waist, his hips thrusting weakly into his own hand as he bit back soft, pleasure-filled groans. Right now, he had half of a mind to go in there and force himself upon Shaun who was more than a tease at this point, though knew better. It would make him even more uncomfortable around Shaun, as well as make himself feel... Lost, almost. It would just be another burden upon his shoulders.

So he continued in the hallway, his hand sliding faster along his shaft as it began to weep its salty tears, Desmond feeling his heart beating more rapidly than it previously been, his organ throbbing with the need of release. He could hear Shaun's groan's growing just slightly louder, though they now sounded muffled as if he was burying his face into the pillows.

 _He probably looks amazing..._

It was the thought of what would have been going on right now in the bedroom and away from the classroom setting that drove Desmond over the edge, imagining Shaun on his knees and face buried into the sheets with Desmond grasping his hips, moving as quickly as his body would allow.

It was at that moment that his breathing hitched and his head turned to bite his hand so that he'd remained quiet, Shaun giving the loudest moan he had of the night before falling quiet. Desmond panted a little, shuddering at the feeling of his soiled shorts and the fading ecstasy that had made his vision go white through his clenched eyes. But as he began to return to his proper mindset, he heard a sigh come from the bedroom and Shaun muttering about how much of a mess he'd made, and how he needed to get it cleaned up.

That meant he was coming out of his room.

Desmond was quick to remove his hand from the soiled boxers and jeans, scrambling to his room and closing the door just as Shaun opened his, having pulled on a pair of boxers, glasses properly set upon the ridge of his nose. His face was warm still and his hair was a mess, along with his right hand. The historian looked side to side before taking silent, swift strides to the bathroom, Desmond listening and waiting for any sounds outside of the room.

When the male heard the bathroom door close, Desmond gave a quiet sigh of relief before quickly stripping out of his pants and boxers before grabbing a new and clean pair, closing his eyes as he slowly wandered to his bed and laid down. What had he been thinking back there? That.. Was definitely not something smart to do. But his mind flashed back to the sounds he heard and the images he mentally projected, feeling a different feeling. Yes, there was the feeling that one would get with arousal, but another came with it. It was like a knot in his stomach.

Shaun was obviously groaning and panting his name, but why? He... He couldn't possibly have felt the same way, could he? Shaun acted like an ass to Desmond on a daily basis and treated him like cr-

Desmond's eyes sharpened as he heard a light sound press against his door, his eyes shutting as he tugged the blanket up and over his head. How hadn't he heard any other doors open up? He tensed a little when his own bedroom door opened up and took a slow, nervous gulp, trying to slow his breathing to make it seem like he was sleeping.

It was then that he heard a near-silent sigh. It belonged to Shaun. Desmond listened and felt the man's fingers graze the top of his head through the blanket before the historian slowly and carefully tugged it lower. Still pretending to be asleep, the novice assassin sighed a little and turned his head, imaging how one would react to being touched in their sleep.

He was unable to see the invisible smile that graced Shaun's features at the movement, the historian reaching down to gently touch the back of Desmond's neck, trailing over his spine and down his back a little, pushing the blanket out of the way. The tan male let out an involuntary shudder to the light touch, a quiet, hushed chuckle leaving the back of Shaun's throat.

It was odd to hear Shaun like that, but then again, this whole situation was odd. Why was Shaun in his room? Why was he _touching_ him? And why'd he think of him when pleasing himself? But that's when he heard the Historian shift a little, using all the might he had to keep himself from jumping at the feeling of Shaun's lips suddenly against his ear. "It's nice not hearing you crying out in your sleep for once." Shaun whispered before giving Desmond a small kiss on the soft spot behind his ear.

And it was with that, that he retracted himself and parted from the bedroom, closing the door behind himself. Once Desmond was sure Shaun was back in his own room, he rolled onto his back, reaching to touch the spot that'd been kissed.

 _What... Was that all about? He just came in here and.. And.._

... And he liked it.

But now, Desmond began to wonder how often Shaun came into his bedroom at night.


	2. Night 2: Red Handed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Desmond's POV until further notice.

_It bothered me for the rest of that first night, trying to figure out things now that I'd  heard and felt things I never thought I would. I mean... This man berates me every day that I'm here, and yet, I heard him groaning my name. Then after that, he came into my room and gave me a kiss before going on his merry way. You would be confused too._

 _How often did Shaun come in here? I'm up a good amount of the night, so I'd notice if he just came and wandered inside. And did I really scream in my sleep to the point where the other's heard me? Oh god._

 _The next few days went by and I tried to act like I hadn't been around the other night and had been asleep when Shaun came into the room, but every time I looked at him, I had to look away relatively quickly. I just couldn't watch him comfortably without hearing the sounds I heard through his door the other night. I have to admit, It's a sound I rather enjoyed. It's something I wouldn't mind having to hear now and then._

 _Wait, this... This is going to far. But I've been like this for a while, and the other night doesn't really tell me I should keep quiet and mind myself. Yeah, it's weird to be attracted to a guy, but Shaun's different from other's. That's a good enough reason, right?_

We had just eaten dinner before Lucy and Rebecca left Shaun and I in charge of cleaning up. You know, doing the dishes, wiping up the kitchen, that sort of stuff. He was currently elbow-deep in suds, lips quirked into a light frown. I held a mop in my hands, slowly shifting the soapy liquid across the floor with a low sigh. I'd rather be doing something like running aroun in the warehouse than this. I hated to clean, really. But this was better than touching the pans that were used for cooking.

I unintentionally trailed back to the other night, looking at Shaun's back, trailing over him. He really did have a good frame beneath the clothes that fit him just right. He had to be physically fit after all, in order to be part of this whole organization. Strength and fitness were key in this whole operation, in case they were met by the Templars somewhere along the road.

"Can I help you, Desmond?" Shaun asked without looking back, moving a plate onto the drying rack before returning to the water. How did he know I was looking at him? Maybe because I'd stopped moving the mop when I thought more. I lowered my eyes down to the floor again and returned to my chore, though shrugged my shoulders after a minute even if he couldn't see me.

"Yeah, actually. I was wondering... Do I talk in my sleep?" I asked, curious of what he would say. I stopped again, but only for a moment, able to catch the sight of him tensing a little before relaxing his shoulders. "Like hell you do. You scream at night. We can all hear it. It's irritating." He spat, shaking his head a little as he began to scrub at the bottom of a pan that previously had red sauce on it.

 _Gee, thanks. Not like I can help it..._

I frowned and turned to look down at the floor again, moving the mop back in forth. Hadn't I already washed this spot? Whatever, it didn't matter. "The only way to get you to shut up is to go in there and wake you up." Shaun added after a moment, using a matter-of-fact tone. It was this statement that caught my attention, raising a brow to look up at him again. Should I really ask about this, though?

"... Did you come in the other night? I think on Tuesday? I was half-awake and thought I heard the door open." I said, watching as the Englishman tensed again. Hell, his hands even stopped moving with the dishes. Had I hit a nerve or something? Or was it because I knew that he was in my room during the night, when I knew that I wasn't making any noise since I was awake.

"Yeah, I did. I didn't hear anything and thought you **died** or something." Shaun finally murmured, returning to the dishes he'd neglected for a minute. "You usually make noise by that time, but you hadn't." He added as I listened. It was almost exciting to hear him admit to really being in there, as well as come up with a reason to come into the room. For all I knew, he could have been telling the truth. But he could've left without coming in and speaking. And the kiss..

"Well, I didn't. I was only just falling to sleep. I-" I said, getting a grand idea, but was almost afraid of how it would turn out. But still, I wanted to see what Shaun would do. I watched as he raised a glass to inspect that it'd been properly cleaned, his eyes trailing over it with the help of his glasses.

"-I heard this weird noise for a good amount of time. It kept me from nodding off. Only when it stopped, was I able to start falling asleep. Then I guess that's when you came in. It made me think that someone had hurt themselves, but I didn't think that until the morning when I realized that. But it also sounded like someone was talking too, so..."

His next reaction was priceless.

The glass slipped from his fingers and hit the floor before splintering into tiny pieces that seemed to go everywhere. When Shaun had bent down to start cleaning up the mess he'd made, he had unwillingly shown me the side of his face. I could see an almost anxious look upon his features, though it was easier to see the flush of red that grazed his cheeks. I'd never seen him like that before. It was almost rewarding, and it was what egged me on. "I thought I heard my name too. It was weird." I mused, putting aside the mop for now.

I stepped over to him and crouched down, moving to help with the shattered pieces of glass, though he merely shook his head. "B-Bloody odd." Shaun said to me in a quiet tone though I noticed his expression falter a little to a 'Why the hell did I just say that?' expression. This was just too much fun. Who knew I would ever get to see him like this? I never took Shaun as the blushing type.

 _I'd look like that too if I were in his shoes, though._

"Yeah. Did you hear it, or was it just me? I mean, you were up if you came in just after it stopped. It didn't sound like Lucy or Rebecca. It was a deeper voice. Kind of... Like yours." I finally said, watching his fingers stop as he reached to grab a piece of glass.

But the hand that was holding bits and pieces clenched shut and he let out a hiss as he opened it again, letting glass fall from his fingers. Blood had begun to bubble around a few places he'd been cut, though there were also a few small pieces embedded there. That triumphant feeling fizzled slightly as I watched, looking to Shaun's face before back to his hand.

"Ah, damn." He said, moving to hold the wrist of the injured hand. It seemed that this really wasn't his day. What, with me tormenting him about the other night and now, he'd gone and hurt himself.

"You alright? Here, let me see." I said as I reached out and grabbed his wrist, ignoring the fact that he was trying to pull it back. I moved to my feet and pulled him up with me, pushing his hand under the water that was still running. He cringed as the water rinsed away the first bits of blood, as well as to remove some of the glass that wasn't too harshly stuck in his hand. But still, there was a piece or two.

He complained about wanting his hand back, but I did something that I don't think he would've expected. While holding his fingers with both hands, I leaned down and used my teeth to pull out the glass. Sure, I could have just grabbed a set of tweezers, but this was faster, and much more amusing.

Shaun swallowed nervously when my mouth touched his hand and when I raised up, I spat the glass out. "Tadah." I said with a light grin though still held onto Shaun's hand. He seemed so conflicted right now, as if he were still trying to be stubborn and rude, but the blush on his cheeks made him much less intimidating. And that meant that there were other feelings in him, right?

"... Thanks." he said almost reluctantly, fingers twitching faintly in my hands, as if that would mean I'd let go. I did after a minute and returned to picking up the pieces of the cup instead, feeling his eyes on me as I finished and stood up again, turning to the garbage and throwing out what was left of the cup.

"Huh, I guess we've just got a funny ghost." I said, shrugging my shoulders a little. "Sorry about the noise at night. I can't help it, since I'm not awake to stop it." I added before returning to my use of the mop, wanting to finish now. He just shook his head and waited a minute before turning to the dishes again, being careful with his injured hand.

"You should go lay down, Shaun. You look sick or something. I'll finish in here." I said after a moment, the Brit turning to look at me with an arched eyebrow. I merely shrugged my shoulders, watching him after stopping the mop again. "I didn't stutter. Go." I urged him lightly. He gave me a scowl though shook his head. "If you want to do the work, then fine. Have at it." He grumbled turning off the running water and starting for the way out.

"Oh, and Shaun-" I started, "- You should really knock before you come in my room. What if I was really awake? I mean... I half-believe you were really close to me. I felt something against my head." I added, unable to help myself. "Whatever it was, it was nice. But then again, I might just be imagining it." I said, shrugging my shoulders as I mopped again, looking down. His feet stopped when I talked, the male listening though walking out without another sound.

I'd said I like it after all, right? Maybe he'd come in again tonight...


	3. Night 3: Cat's Out of The Bag

_This was not good. It seemed that I was thinking of him more and more. And now that I paid attention, Lucy often put Shaun and me on the same schedule. She had us work together a lot, but I wonder why. Didn't Shaun have things to do on his computers? Didn't he have other assassin's to attend to? After all, when I first met the guy, he didn't even want to talk because he was so swamped with his work._

 _Either way, I don't care. It's nice to be around him. He's been a bit out of character since the other day when we were in the kitchen. He's still calling me names and belittling me, but it seems that he can't look me straight in the face anymore. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything? Or maybe... Maybe I should tell him that I can't stop thinking about him?_

 _But then again, that would be embarrassing. And what if the other night was a mistake? What if I had been wrong about what I heard, you know? It happens after all. I don't want to scare the ass away._

 _But maybe... Maybe it would be better in the end? Ugh, I have no idea._

This morning started off different. Why? Well, it's my birthday. I'm 26 today, but I didn't even realize it. Here, I don't keep my eye on a calendar or care what day of the week it is. My job is to eat, sleep, do some idle work and use the Animus. In that span of responsibilities, nowhere does it say that I should keep my eye open for what date it was. Lucy was the first one that greeted me about it, then Rebecca did. I was silently waiting to hear Shaun say it, but he never even brought up the topic, as if he had no idea that it'd been my birthday.

I rarely ever paid much mind to it in the past since I never celebrated it, but just this once, I wanted someone to say it. Someone in particular, that is. Meh, it's whatever. Just as usual, aside from Luce and 'Becca, it's just another, normal day.

I turned to look at Lucy who was working at her little station and I glanced towards the exit of the work area that led to the rooms or the rest of the warehouse. "Hey, I'm going to go wander for a little. I'm curious to see what's in those boxes." I said, her eyes looking up at me with a swift glance. "Yeah, alright. Just don't take forever, we've got work to do once Rebecca finishes the Animus' update." She told me.

With a nod, I turned and left the room, stuffing my hands into my pockets as I made my way down the short hallway, turning left and starting to wander down another hall, headed for the metallic portion of the warehouse. As I began to wonder what I would climb first, I heard a set of footsteps behind me. I half expected it to be Lucy coming to grab me before I could go any farther, though when I turned around, I saw brown hair rather than blonde.

"Desmond-" Shaun said, an uneasy frown on his lips as he approached and stood in front of me. He had a small package of sorts in his hand. It was like a brown paper bag, only square. "-Here, happy birthday." He said after a second, turning to look at me directly for the first time in days as he raised his hand up. So the brown bag was for me? But what could've been in it?

"Ah, Shaun... You didn't have to, really. I didn't even **know** it was my birthday today." But Shaun didn't seem to be bothered by such a thing, though he did give me an eye roll. "Not the sharpest crayon in the box, now are we?" He asked as I reached for the paper parcel. "Tch, You wish." I said, feeling my lips tug into a small and involuntary smile. But it was now that Shaun decided to turn, starting to wander off to return to whatever it was he was up to before, I guess.

I didn't want him to go, but I couldn't really say that. Could I? My eyes lingered along his form before he turned and disappeared behind the wall at the end of the hallway, though now, I looked down at the small object he'd given me. I removed the tape that kept the opening shut and let it fall to the floor as I turned the small parcel over and let the item slip into my awaiting, open palm.

A simple chain fell out. I had a hard time figuring out what type of metal it was. It was almost like a lighter colored gold. Wait. White gold. That had to be it, right? I shoved the now-empty paper into my pocket and held the thick chain in my hands, observing it. Simple ridges went along it in vertical lines, providing a look for the piece of jewelry.

 _He didn't have to get me this..._

"... Thanks." I said quietly to myself, smiling again though it was a little softer, reaching to put on the necklace. Neither Luce or Rebecca had to know about it, since my hoodie would hide it. So it wasn't like it would give away Shaun's kind gesture.

But still, why'd he do it?

\--

 _There he was, smirking. Ah, he looked amazing with that smug look on his face. It always seemed like there was a gleam in his eyes when he did that. Of course, I couldn't say anything, since he'd put duct tape over my mouth. And the way my wrists were tied behind my back made my arms ache. At least the binds on my legs didn't bother me much, though I kind of felt like I was doing a split._

 _Of course, none of this mattered as I felt his fingers run along my bare chest, for my clothing had been stripped a while ago. He could be an ass if he wanted, but I'd happily done the removal myself. I didn't think I'd end up like this. Anyway._

 _His lips brushed against my ear and he nibbled upon my earlobe, a shudder running down my spine at the rather amazing feeling. I tugged a little at my bonds, wishing that I could hold onto him or something like that. But soon, his lips moved lower, brushing against my neck. I could feel his teeth against my skin, teasing me. That ass, couldn't he just do it the right way?_

 _Then again, that'd be boring._

 _"My, My.. Someone's sensitive tonight." Shaun uttered with a low laugh, his lips dragging lower to my collarbone, then to my chest. I loved the way his mouth felt against me, soft shudders forming here and there. But what made me react the most was when his right hand gently grazed against my arousal that was growing from the attention being given to me. I groaned into the duct tape, wiggling my hips faintly. Oh, this man was a tease alright. But hey, that's why I loved him._

 _It was only another second until I could feel his fingers wrap around me, running his palm up and down in slow, taunting movements. Who knew such simple actions could feel so amazing? I wanted more than that though, and he knew it. His mouth slid down lower on my body and I could feel him shifting over me, crawling back on his knees as he sent butterfly kisses down my abdomen and finally, his lips connected with the tip of my length. Slowly, he allowed his soft, warm, moist tongue to make circles on it. I couldn't help but moan into the tape, arching my back faintly. The sensation was amazing._

 _My breathing was already off and I guess he knew it too, since he gave a low laugh and began to take more of me into that lovely mouth of his, sucking more and more before he began to bob his head. I moaned again and again, feeling pre-juices ooze though his tongue was quick to wipe it up, Shaun letting out light noises of his own as one of his hands slid between his own legs. He'd undone his pants a while ago, now starting to slide them off of that fine form of his. I wanted him so bad._

 _"A-Ah, Shaun.." I muffled out in a groan against the tape, writhing as he pulled his head up and retracted everything from me, leaving me without the ability to ease the throb that came from down below. His eyes ran over me and I could see goosebumps form along his bare chest. He leaned back over me, our hips lined up now as he reached to remove the duct tape carefully. "I really love that pretty voice of yours, you American twit." He whispered as he pressed his lips against mine, biting down on my lower lip as his hand began to slide down my body again._

That's when I began to wake up. My bed was a mess, just as I was. I was hot and gross, and had an uncomfortable throbbing between my legs. The bed below me wasn't too comfortable at all, and I had practically kicked all of the blankets off of the bed. My breathing was messed up too.

 _Fuck, a dream. It was a dream._

It's rather... Well, disappointing that that was nothing more than a dream. I wanted to feel him against me. I wanted his lips against mine and his fingers against my body. But then again, I would've preferred if I had him down beneath me, begging for more and more. Oh, right, the throbbing. I reached a hand down and into the waistband of my boxers, touching the sensitive organ that needed some attention. It was annoying, since these things never felt as good when you did it yourself.

 _I wish Shaun could do this for me._

I was quick with my wrist movements, wanting to rid myself of this as soon as possible. But still, I had to admit that it felt nice. I groaned softly, idly wondering if I'd made more noise in my sleep. What if I called out Shaun's name during my dream?

Wait. I had a dream. A real dream, from this time period. Not with Altair, or Ezio, but me. That...

It was during this revelation as I looked around that I saw a shadow from the bottom of my door. Oh god, I did yell out. I must have. Oh god. Quickly, I scrambled for the blanket and pulled it over me, trying to hide my face and my 'situation' as I rolled onto my stomach. Just as I'd stopped moving, the door opened up and I held my breath at those familiar footsteps. They were the ones I'd heard the one night, and earlier that day.

Shaun.

He stepped over to the bed, though he seemed to be unbalanced for some reason. It was like he was tripping over himself or something. When he got towards my bed, he sat on it. And not less than a second later, he crawled under my blankets and laid with me, latching an arm around me. This was so uncomfortable, and so awkward. Why was he doing this? Asshole.

But then, I shifted weakly, trying to act like I was asleep. I caught an odd smell. It made me think of coffee, but had a second scent to it. No, not creamer. Not milk.. Something more bold. Something like.. Rum? Rum. It had to be it. That was why he was like this. Had he put too much to drink?

Why the hell was he drinking in the first place? What was going on? I tensed as I felt his lips against my ear, hearing a small sound that could be mistaken as a laugh come from him. "Nn, Desmond... You stupid American." He whispered, his voice slow and husky, almost. I shuddered by accident, but how could I not? This was more intense than in my dream since it was real, and I'm already a bit sensitive, thanks to my... Situation.

I bit my lower lip, feeling his arm snake farther around me, trying to wiggle a hand between me and the bed. "You're an ass. You're a waste of my time, and everyone elses. We were just fine before you showed up to distract us, well, me from my work. I'd tell you that you should just go, but what fun is that?" He asked idly, falling still as he laid beside me. I waited, wishing for him to move and leave the room like he'd done last night. If I just laid here, he'd leave, right? That way, I could handle myself and then think about all of this.

"Bloody american. You're so thick headed. I bet you didn't even see the inside of the necklace. Didn't bother to look closely, that is." He spoke, forcing himself ever closer. But now, I could feel his lips against my neck and a light, shaky breath left me. He paused for a moment, though I'm not sure why before I felt those lips I yearned for touching the warmer skin there. He was giving me kisses, seeming content with doing so.

It was hard to think right while feeling his lips while my problem was reminding me of it's presence. Wait, I had to think while keeping composure. What did he mean about the necklace? I didn't see anything written on it.

"I wonder why you were calling for me~ You truly are a piece of work." He spoke, pausing his kisses for a moment before returning to them. His lips touched my shoulder for a moment before starting to glide along the top of my back, pulling the blanket a little with his movements.

Shaun was touchy when buzzed, it seemed. But hey, I wasn't complaining. The question was, would I let him know I was awake? Could I let him know about my problem? Maybe he'd help me with it? Well, if I was really going to do it, I couldn't wait any longer. I had to suck it up and tell him now. Tell him that I wanted his fingers and his mouth. I wanted to taste him and hold him. Jesus, what is _wrong_ with me?

I turned my head though kept my eyes shut, feeling him start to move back up. It was when he was at the same level with my face that I went to open my eyes, though didn't get the chance. He used his free hand and brushed his thumb against my lower lip and I hesitated, again. "Mm.. I wonder.." I heard him trail before suddenly feeling pressure against my lips. It was soft and almost an inquisitive gesture that sent chills down my spine. My stomach leaped in ways I didn't think possible. And before I could realize what I did, I was kissing back, tilting my head towards the historian.

His lips paused against mine when he felt me retaliate, though it couldn't end like that. It couldn't just stop with him freaking out that I was awake and running off. No, I wouldn't let him. For once, I was going to stand up for myself against him. I raised my left hand to hold the back of his neck to keep his lips from parting with mine, raising myself on my knees to loom over him a bit.

Without much of a thought, I nibbled lightly upon his lower lip and I could feel goosebumps forming against the back of his neck. That was a good sign, right? My lips locked with his properly once more and this time, I felt him pressing back. He hesitantly slid an arm around me, almost as if he were confused. But then again, I would be too if I were in his position. Would he think this a dream by the time morning came?

I pulled back after a moment, resting my forehead against his chest though I was still on my hands and knees. I didn't want to look him in the face. But still, he had an arm draped against my torso. "Desmond..." Shaun trailed, a wary tone in his voice. He was unsure and I could figure that much. That was stupid of me. That was really stupid. Now I've got two problems. Ugh. But still, that was.. That was really nice.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I just.. Sorry." I murmured quietly. I would've moved off and away from him, had he not kept his arm upon me. I wish I knew what he was thinking right now. What way was he processing this? He was the one that started it, so why was he so pensive about what I just did?

"What? No, I'm the one that came in here. I heard you saying my name while I was coming back to my room. And some... Other noises." Shaun mused. My stomach dropped. I need to wear a gag or something when I sleep. Then maybe Shaun won't keep hearing me. Do the girls hear me at night and just don't say anything? Why would only Shaun hear me? "I was asleep. And I guess I spoke in it.." I admitted, pressing my forehead further against his chest though shifted my legs. Right, I had a problem there.

"Ah, I'll uh.. Be right back. I'm going to go to the bathroom, alright? Don't go anywhere. We need to talk, Shaun." I said, raising my head to look at the male. His eyes were glazed slightly, and he seemed to be half here and half somewhere-else. He gave an idle nod and that's when I moved to try to slip out of bed without making it obvious as to what was wrong.

But just as I went to get to my feet, I felt his hand grasp my wrist. "I can fix that, you nit." He spoke.

I could hear the smirk he probably was now wearing.


	4. Night 4: Well Then

_I never knew Shaun could be so skilled with his hands. I never thought that I'd be able to be quiet, either. His lips against mine, my boxers on the floor and him looming over me. It was just like my dream, without the bonds, anyway. I could still feel his tongue over mine when he pulled away, as well as his lip beneath my teeth. He really seemed to like when I did that. I don't know what caused all of this to happen, though. It couldn't have been merely alcohol, for if it had, wouldn't he have been in Rebecca's bed? They'd known each other for a long time it seemed, and had more in common than he and I did._

 _But still... It didn't take long for me to finish with my problem with Shaun's help. But when I was done, he didn't leave. He laid next to me and muttered something about already feeling a headache coming. I guess it was because of what he'd drank. I wonder where he was hiding it though. Maybe he had an 'emergency stash' for whatever reason? Either way, it didn't matter. What mattered was that... Well, he was next to me. What mattered was that he fell asleep in my bed. It sounds stupid, and I know I sound pathetic. But still, it was different. It was something that I've wanted, no matter how much I don't want to admit it._

 _He's an idiot though. He'd fallen asleep with his glasses on.._

The next morning was awkward.

He woke up before me I guess, because I woke up to a lot of movement in the bed. When I actually opened my eyes, Shaun was on the floor with his legs still on the bed, arms bracing him. He held a bewildered look, though it also looked confused. "Nn... You fall?" I asked as I sat up, rubbing the side of my head. I felt tired and groggy. I'd wake up soon enough, though.

"Wh-What did.. That was a dream, right?" Shaun tried to say, a wary expression on his face as he was unsure of what had happened. I watched him for a moment, recalling last nights events. Then I remembered that he'd had something extra to drink which obviously made him do something that he never would have. Right now was the first time I wondered if it had actually been a mistake... But how could it have been? Shaun has seemed off lately since I've called him out. And he even got me that birthday gift. So if he doesn't have any feelings for me, I'm seriously off my A-Game.

But still, what if it was? I turned from him, shrugging my shoulders as I scoured the floor to try and find the boxers I'd ended up losing last night. They ended up beside the night stand which was close to the bed. That was good, at least. "What's it look like? You're the one that came in here, after all." I mused, sounding almost defensive. He'd probably try to pin this all on me. He came in here of his own choice. He's the one that touched me. He's the one that kissed me first. This was his fault and if he didn't like it, he'd have to get over it.

I reached down and slid my hands under the blanket that had curled at my waist when I sat up, grabbing my boxers from the floor before moving to wiggle them on while Shaun just watched in his uncomfortable stupor. Once they were up all the way I moved to stand up and left the bed as it was, wandering towards the small dresser I was given, poking through it to pull out my shirt and a pair of jeans, tugging them both on.

When I glanced back at Shaun while pulling up my pants, I noticed he made it to his feet and was looking around the room while adjusting his glasses. He almost looked out of place, like a new kid who shows up in the middle of the year to a new school. "What was it, rum?" I asked, reaching for the dresser again to find another one of my hoodies. I hated to be up and around without them. It was just the way I was. I needed sleeves, no matter what time of the year it was.

As I found one and began to unfold it, Shaun cleared his throat and started to wander closer. "Yeah, it was." He said, putting a hand over his mouth as he gave a light cough, brows furrowed faintly. When I looked back at him, he looked confused still, though held a more pensive demeanor. "So, what should we... Do? I mean, normal people don't just do, erm, _favors_ like that." He said uncomfortably.

I shrugged my shoulders, though felt my heart start to speed a little. Hah, maybe I was the one that was dreaming? "What do you mean? We can ignore it and pretend it never happened, or if that isn't an option... Well, we can figure out what to do about it. I mean, if last night was something more than drunken curiosity-" I trailed, turning to look up at him to gauge his expression. He looked away when I'd done so though, an almost shameful look in his expression.

"I don't think that was it though." I said as I slipped on my hoodie, starting to zip it up. "We can let this happen again. We can allow everything to fall into place. I mean, if they're actual feelings.." I trailed, shrugging as I looked down, still fumbling with the zipper. It was jammed, stupid thing. But also, I felt stupid now. He hadn't said anything yet. What if I just made an awkward situation x10 worse?

His hands reached out though and carefully brushed mine away, starting to meddle with the zipper for me. "It's just... It isn't appropriate for this to happen." He told me, speaking lowly. "Says who?" I countered a little too quickly for my own liking. His fingers paused for a second before continuing, starting to move it up now that it had gotten freed.

Shaun zipped my hoodie up all of the way, though his hand remained upon my chest when he finished. "Says the world, Desmond. But if this is just between you and me, I suppose... It could happen." He uttered, finally starting to move away from me. I felt an involuntary smile tug at my lips. So really? This was it? Not really the type of hollywood romance, but this was good enough.

"Then good. Oh, Shaun, you said something about the necklace you gave me. What did you mean, look at the back?" I asked. He raised a brow though shook his head. "You'll see for yourself, Desmond. I've got stuff to do. But.. I'll see you." He said and turned to walk, though I stepped forward as he turned away and hugged him from behind weakly. He'd hugged me last night, but I hadn't gotten to do the same for him.

"See you." I said, slowly letting go. He waited a second before wandering out of the room, though as he turned through the door, I could've sworn I saw a small smile on his face.


	5. Night 5: When Two Become One

_After Shaun had left that day, I took the white gold chain and observed the back. It took a minute to actually find it, but there were tiny words etched gently against the metal. It actually took me a little while to make out what it said, though when I had, it made sense. **Meet me in the warehouse tonight. We need to talk.** At first, I was just going to ask Shaun what he had wanted to talk about, but as I was getting ready to leave the room and find him, I began to realize something. He had had liquor last night. He had wanted to speak- And after he'd finished drinking, he came into my room and pursued me when I was supposed to be asleep. _

_Was this what he wanted to talk about? Us? It made sense to drink when someone got rejected by someone they cared about. I'd seen it plenty of times when I was bartending, after all._

 _But another few days had passed, and we hadn't really gotten the chance to see each other that much. Lucy had shoved me into the Animus more than usual, and I didn't like it- But we were so close. We could smell the apple as if it were just under our noses. Each day, we pushed for a little more. Just a little more and it would all be over. Just a little more, and it would be ok and we would have the apple in our grasp. But the sessions in the Animus weren't really doing me much good, though I hid that away from Lucy. I was getting worse in the night. For the images that I had once seen in my dreams were starting to happen now while I was awake. Whether I saw it just when I closed my eyes, or when I was looking around, everything would change. I would see Altair fighting. Whether it was Damascus, Jerusalem or Acre, he was always busy, always killing, always fighting. I'd had enough of it, but what can I do?_

 _Shaun had been busy, too. Abstergo was on the move again, and he and Rebecca had to keep an eye on them. We had to remain one step ahead. If they were to find out where we were, we would have to leave before they even began to move out. We would need to be packed and on the road by then. We couldn't let them get us. We couldn't let them have me. We couldn't let them have the apple. So because of this, Shaun's been up each night, running merely on tea and a snack here and there. At least Rebecca had the bright idea to drink some coffee._

I ran a hand through my hair as I sat in my bed, frowning. It didn't matter what I was doing. I could have my eyes opened or closed, and he would still be there- I could still see him. But the thing was, I could also feel his feelings and thoughts. It was as if I was becoming him. I knew every move that he was going to make before I saw it. I knew every feeling and thought he conjured up just as he did. And I was having a hard time deciphering my thoughts from his. This wasn't good. I moved to stand up, turning to glance towards the clock. It was 2 in the morning. I ran a hand through my hair, moving to grab at my clothes that I'd discarded upon the floor once more.

After I pulled on my T-shirt and my jeans, I grabbed my hoodie and started out of the room. I wished I could go for a walk or something like that. I'm tired of being cramped in here, especially when I'm like this. Fresh air would do me some good, right? But fresh air would also put us all in danger, if Abstergo was closer and closer to finding us. Again, I'm the rat inside the cage.

 _This is fucking ridiculous._

I went to the only place that I could in the warehouse: The area that actually resembled a warehouse. Maybe a quick run around the place would help do my mind good. That, and it was a little extra practice. It wouldn't hurt to get some in. I haven't been able to do much between bed and the Animus. I was barely eating, too. 

 _Ugh, food. Don't think about it._

I grabbed at my stomach, unable to suppress the gurgle that formed within it since the last time I ate was probably around breakfast, yesterday. Ignoring it for now, I wandered down the ramp, soon coming to the area that was littered with dust and boxes. And in another moment, I was gone. I moved, crawling onto a stack of boxes, starting to maneuver over to other's and onto the beams up above.

I ran around for what felt like a long while, though paused as I sat perched upon one of beams. The room before me flashed, shifting from the warehouse to that of one of the perches in Jerusalem. The streets down below were full of merchants and sounds, and nearby, there was a patrol of guards wandering past, making sure that everyone was following the rules that had been implemented recently. This would not do.

Al Mualim would not like to hear about this.

 _Wait, what was I thinking?_

I reached up and grabbed at my head, feeling it begin to hurt and ache. No, I was in the warehouse, not Jerusalem. I wasn't going to go see Malik about finishing a mission and requesting a feather as a marker of the deed I would soon perform. But I needed to finish the task quickly- There were others I needed to take care of.

 _No, that's not me. That's Altair, not me._

But it was now that someone was wandering into the room, and I looked down, seeing nothing but streets and guards. One was walking in my direction, a perplexed look upon his features. He was searching for something, or someone. "Des?" I heard a familiar voice call out to me. That was... That was Shaun. Not a Templar or guard, but Shaun. Images of the warehouse flashed back, trying to fight the sights that came with Altair's lifetime, but it seemed to be doing very little for me.

"Desmond, are you in here?" Shaun called again.

It was now that I turned around, seeing a guard from behind approaching, telling me that I couldn't be up here. He didn't seem to raise much concern right away, so there was no point in killing this man. At least, not now. That might change later on, if he proved to try and put up a struggle or a fight. But no, I'd leave him. I've got to see Malik, anyway. His bureau was on the other side of the city. I'd been taking far too long with this. Al Mualim was waiting for me, back in Maysaf. I can't let him or the order down again, after all. Time was not on my side anymore.

I rose to my feet, feeling the breeze brush past me. The shadow of the eagle that flew around me rolled over the street below, trailing over the guards and merchants alike. I raised my eyes to peer around at the surroundings of the familiar city, trying to figure out in what direction I would need to go. But nevertheless, this was nice. I preferred being up high, for the sights and sounds were different than one would witness down below, with the others. But still- The issue of time pressed itself once more in the back of my mind and with that, I peered downwards. The cart of hay was there, awaiting me.

 _Perfect._

In one swift movement, I pushed off of the wooden beam that I had been resting upon, arms extended and body flowing through the air. This sensation had never failed to provide a rush like no other. It was one of flight and freedom- Something that no one truly had in this world. But that was what I was fighting for. That was what the brotherhood stood for. We wanted peace and freedom for everyone.

The hay was hard against my for some reason, rough and uncomfortable. I couldn't feel the familiar prickles through my robes or the peace it brought each time I landed. But then again, the sounds of the streets had begun to die down. That never happened, even during the night. Just what was going on..?

"Desmond! The bloody hell are you doing?!" I heard a voice call. I looked up, and saw two images in one. One was an uncomfortably concerned guard. The other image was of a strange man who wore pieces of glass upon the bridge of his nose. Either way, it wasn't good.

I moved to roll out of what I'd actually landed in, which was a pile of these beige things. Boxes, I assume, but what were they made of? And what was in them? I rolled quickly to my feet, scowling a little as the man attempted to approach again, though he paused. "Desmond?" He asked me, his tone light and confused. He didn't look like a guard anymore- Merely this strange man.

I began to grow anxious. Just what was it that was happening to me? How had I gone from the city that Malik lived within turned to a Large room, with this strange man? I wanted to move forward and brush my blade against his throat to retrieve the answers that I was owed, but I was unable to do such a thing. I was missing my blade. I looked quickly at my hand, my breath catching in my throat. I bore no blade and still had the finger that I had sacrificed many moons ago.

"Name yourself, Templar." I spat, reaching for my other weapons, throwing knives with my left hand, sword with my right. But it was as if nothing was there. Well, there wasn't. I looked down at myself, noticing such odd garbs upon my body. I'd never seen anything like it.

Then: Pain.

Pain in my head seared down my body, and I felt my knees buckle as my hands moved to my head. What was going on? Why was all of this happening?

Then, reality set in. Altair was gone, and I was back. I had let his world force its way into mine. I'd let Altair take control, even when I swore I wouldn't. I'd probably be dead if these boxes weren't here. And if I'd worn my blade, Shaun might've been...

I could feel his hands on my shoulders, shaking me, trying to get me to respond. I just couldn't though. I was trying to work things out in the back of my mind. It was just too much right now. I could still see small pieces of Altair's world, such as a few pots scattered around the warehouse, which was something that I had never seen before in here. And the sound of the eagle up above rang time and time again in my ears as well.

I leaned my forehead against his chest, closing my eyes, trying to push away everything. Shaun's hands slid from my shoulders to try and hold me close, latching onto me and bringing me against him. His heart sounded as if it were beating faster than anyone's ever should- Was he scared? I would be. I'd called him a Templar. I can't believe I did that.

Oh, he would end up telling Lucy, wouldn't he? But it was getting worse, so I guess it might be better for her to know. I slowly reached a hand up, resting it against Shaun's chest; Shaun's chest, not that of a guard. "I'm alright, Shaun. Don't worry." I uttered out after a moment. But that was stupid of me to say. Even I knew that I didn't sound alright. I sounded as if I was sick and weak. "The hell's going on, Desmond?" I heard his lips upon my ear, his breath dancing down my neck.

"I just want to go to bed now. We've got work to do tomorrow." I murmured quietly though heard a gruff sound come from him. "Like hell you are. We need to figure out what's happening to you." He spoke and pulled me away. I opened my eyes and looked up at him, shrugging my shoulders. "I'm fine." I said and reached around Shaun, hugging him. "Are you going to get some sleep tonight?" I asked, not wanting to stay on this topic.

"&... I had planned on it previously. That's why I came looking for you." He spoke quietly. What, he wanted to sleep with me? That made sense then. "We need to get you into bed, and I need to talk to Lucy." Shaun said and I sighed.

"Just sleep tonight." I urged, since I didn't want to hear her going on about this right now. I felt so tired and so drained as opposed to how I felt not more than ten, fifteen minutes ago- Which was wide awake and stir-crazy.  "Desmond-" Shaun started though sighed in a defeated manner. "Let's get you into bed." He said, his voice falling quiet as he spoke.

"Alright, let's go." I said, slowly moving to stand.


	6. Night 6: Aww, Shit.

_Shaun and I had gone back to my room for the night and that sneaky bastard tried to leave to go wake up Luce when he thought I was out of it. But of course, I wasn't. I was wide awake and grabbed onto that sweater vest of his, pulling him back to my side after his failed escape attempt. "Deal with it in the morning. Waking her now won't do any good." I had told him. I understood why he saw this as something so urgent. He was probably still freaked out. I called him a **Templar** for Christ's sake._

 _He looked annoyed for a minute as I peered at him out of the corner of my eye though he sighed and nodded. "Fine, Desmond. Fine." He grumbled before sitting up again. I was tempted to grab at him once more though paused, noticing that he was starting to strip himself of his vest and the shirt that lay beneath, now bare-chested as he laid at my side._

 _"Happy?" He asked._

 _I grinned gently, trying to make the rest of this night end on a good note. So I rolled against him, pressing my bare chest against his, hugging an arm around him. Shaun wasn't the type you would imagine to be strong or athletic. But yet, he had muscles hidden away beneath those stupid shirts of his. I'm not too sure how he keeps them though, considering the fact that all he does is sit in front of a computer all day and night._

 _"Very." I said, leaning up to press my lips to his. It was... Well, it was odd to do this. We haven't really had much time to ourselves after all. I was half expecting him to push me away a little so that he could roll around and go to sleep. After all- He too must have been exhausted and was merely hiding it, considering his lack of a sleep schedule. But no, rather than that, I felt him push back into the kiss, his right hand running along my forearm. It wasn't long until his teeth grazed my lower lip and my grip on him tightened just a little. I could feel a small, playful smirk tug upon his lips. This was something that would take getting used to._

Lucy had been told the next morning.

Shaun went to her as I was taking a shower, that asshole. I'm guessing he told her that I jumped off of a structural beam and tried to attack him or something to that effect, since that's what she told me when she confronted me about it. "We need to take a break from the Animus, Desmond. If this gets any worse, you'll..." She spoke, leaning against the wall of the hallway while I tugged a towel through my hair.

I frowned, shrugging my shoulders. "I'll what- End up like 16? Yeah, I know. But we have to keep going, Luce." I said, lowering the towel to sit in my hands, balling it up. I was dressed in my usual apparel, but my hair was taking longer and longer to dry. It must have been growing, I had realized, letting my thoughts wander as she spoke. I barely caught what it was that she said, but it was something to the effect of, "We'll get nowhere at all with you dead", or something like that.

And that was that. The Animus had been turned off, though Rebecca didn't mind. In truth, she had some things she wanted to tweak with Baby 2.0. It needed some good old, TLC and a few upgrades that couldn't be given while I was in it. So now, I was trapped in here with literally nothing to do? That's just great. Fucking great. Couldn't we at least get a TV around here?

"Desmond?" I heard the other male call, raising my head to look away from a spot on the wall that I had fixated my gaze upon while sitting on my bed, trying to figure out what I could do to keep the sanity I had left entertained. Then there he was, leaning against the frame of my door, watching me for a moment before he opened his mouth. "Lucy wants you to get out for a little. So you're going to come with me to get some groceries." He said. It was as if they knew what I was thinking or something. But hey, no complaints here. If I could get out of this place, then I'd take any chance I could.

"Yeah, let's get going." I said as I reached for my backpack, slinging it around my torso as I stepped closer. "Just what do you keep in there?" The Brit asked me, eyeing it suspiciously though he turned to wander away, starting to lead me through the hide out. I merely grinned, shrugging my shoulders. "A few different things. " I said, earning a light shake of the head from him. "Brilliant deduction. Never could I have thought of something better to say than that." He said sarcastically and I laughed, finding his form of humor to be amusing when he wasn't trying to chew my ear off or criticize me with seriousness.

We didn't speak anymore as we made our way through the warehouse, going past the area that I had been last night. I tried to not look towards it, partly wondering if it might cause that to happen again. You know, the whole, 'memories can trigger things' idea. I had my blade on today- So experiencing that would be no good. We made our way to the car that Lucy had stolen me with and for the first time, I moved to the passenger seat and Shaun took the driver's side.

"Wow, not going to shove me in the trunk like Luce did? I'm impressed." I said and he shook his head though I could see a small smile dance upon his lips. "You git." He spoke simply as he turned the car on. It was funny how different he was when it was just the two of us. He was more patient and relaxed. But if he was working or if we were around the girls, he was still a pompous ass. Sometimes I didn't mind, but other times, it got old. Then again, I wouldn't want Lucy and Rebecca to realize that we weren't truly enemies but rather, a lot more than that.

We were already on the road, though I hadn't realized. I hadn't noticed much of anything until I felt Shaun's right hand rest upon my thigh, just sitting there as he steered with one hand, keeping his eyes on the road. I glanced down at his hand, rather enjoying the feeling, resting my hand atop his. As he drove, his hand twisted beneath mine and his fingers slid between the spaces of my own. This was something I could get used to, if the chance were to arise. It was annoying, really... Now that the truth was out between the both of us, we had seen each other less and less. No, we weren't trying to avoid each other, but it just seemed as if we weren't supposed to be close or something.

Maybe I was crazier than I thought? Maybe this was just some stupid phase between us? I mean- There was a time when I liked Luce, back at Abstergo despite her round-about answers. And when we had left, it'd passed by then after that week. So why would this be any different? I guess Shaun could feel my hand slack a little as I thought, because I was brought back to reality when I realized he had gently squeezed my own hand and was watching me. We had already gotten to the grocery store and parked.

"Something bothering you, mate?" He asked and I watched his lips move while that British drawl slid from his lips. I had wanted nothing more at this moment than to feel them against my own just to help shut my mind up. Why did it have to be a bad thing? Everything in my life ended up in the shittiest way possible. But why did I have to anticipate that? Why couldn't I enjoy things as they played out? I shouldn't deprive myself of freedoms or the chance to find some form of comfort in the chaos that was my life.

"No, I'm good." I said, squeezing his fingers gently before pulling my hand away. "C'mon, let's go inside." I urged and he rolled his eyes. "Right, right." He said, waving his hand a little as he turned the car off and got out after unbuckling himself. "You should really wear a seatbelt." I heard him say in a scolding manner, wandering behind me as I led the way even though I had never been here before. "Tch, they're uncomfortable." I said, shrugging my shoulders, looking towards the beige building in front of me. In the windows were signs about deals and sales going on with certain name-brand things, such as cookies or soda's. I looked to the glass doors in front of me and they opened up for me. It almost startled me, but why? I knew it was going to happen, after all.

"Comfortable or not, you're wearing one on the way back." Shaun scolded, pushing me a little before moving past, shaking his head. "Yes, Mother." I said though couldn't help but smile a little. He was over reacting.

==

"Shaun, can we leave yet?" I groaned, watching as he tried to pick between two different types of tea that he wanted. One was one that he often drank, but he seemed interested in the new one because it was something different. Having the same thing every day could be boring, I guess. But the look he gave me told me to shut up as he peered from above his glasses, glaring at me for a moment before looking back down to the two tea's. I sighed and leaned against his side, closing my eyes. "Asshole." I murmured, shaking my head. He merely made a low scoffing noise and continued with his mental calculations.

But as I waited, I kept hearing noises not native to this world. Again, I could hear merchants yelling and children laughing. I could smell the scent of dirt, sweat and the occasional sweet flower. I opened my eyes and saw the world of which I was not truly apart of, looking around at the crowds around me. There were some children laughing nearby as well, though I wasn't able to see them past a crowd of women holding jars atop their heads, all of them conversing with one another. "Sh-Shaun."  I spoke warily. I could feel that I was leaning against someone and it was so hard to try and pull myself from that world. I was here, in the grocery store with Shaun. Not-

"Altair, what ails you?" I heard Malik ask. It was him I was leaning on, a wondering expression upon his face. He still wore his blue robes atop his white assassin ones and I felt myself seem to ease. "Nothing, brother." I sighed, shaking my head. "Come, we have work to do." I urged, shaking my head and slowly drawing away from him. And yet, I wanted nothing more than to hug an arm around him and hold his body against my own. Malik was someone who I had grown to respect and understand. He was the only person that I had ever become truly comfortable with. Granted, I still feel horrid for having to put him through the pain that I had. There would be no way to ever make up for it.

But dwelling on it would not make things any better, now would they? He had pushed it to the back of his mind for the majority of the time, though I would catch him staring to where his arm would be, or see the tears that he bit back once in a while. This was something that would never stop ailing him. This was something I had caused him.

"Altair, let us wait a moment longer." He spoke and grasped my wrist, pulling my back to him as I started away. Rather, he began to pull me along and I wondered where it was that we were going. We pushed past people and found ourselves in an Alley, but raised a brow when he had, I grinned. "I would think the Bureau would be best for this." I mused, hugging my arms around him, pulling the other closer to me. I leaned in, pressing my lips against his, enjoying the feel of the small beard he bore brushing against my skin. It was an odd sensation and one that tickled, but I enjoyed it nevertheless.

Malik and I have been living this secret for... Well, I have lost count, it would seem. I could feel his teeth pull against my lower lip and I shuddered, squeezing him a little. I took my right hand from him and slid it to Malik's front, starting to unfasten the ties that held his secondary robes closed. I wanted him. He'd purposefully pressed a leg between my own and I couldn't deny the warmth that quickly rolled through me. He pulled away from the kiss as I managed to slip my hand within the top of his robes, brushing my fingers against that hard, warm, olive skin. But as I did, I lowered my mouth to his neck, biting there gently, able to feel his chest fall and rise as his breathing style changed.

Malik wanted it too.

Truthfully, I could not recall what we were doing before this. Why were we even out on the streets as opposed to the Bureau? I bit harder and heard him give a soft groan, his hand sliding down my chest and pulling upon the red sash until it fell loose, his hand beginning to help guide my robes from me though I didn't allow it just yet. I wanted him bare, first. I wanted to see the flush beneath his cheeks and that needy expression in his eyes. I wanted to hear him beg for me. But that was something that would not come easy, for the Dai was just as stubborn as I was. But who ever said a challenge was a bad thing?

But just as I moved to push Malik across the way and against a wall as well, I found that I couldn't move. Malik had pushed his hand to my chest and I frowned. "What?" I questioned, his expression twisting a little into that of a frown. "And just what are you trying to accomplish here? What if we are found?" He questioned. Huh, his voice didn't sound right... Instead of the heavy Arabic tone that I often enjoyed hearing against my ear, he spoke with an accent that I was unsure of. I've never heard of it before.

"You are the one who wishes for such deed's, Malik." I urged gently and moved to touch his face, brushing my thumb over the lip I had teased a moment earlier. But the frown upon him deepened. "I am not Malik, for the bloody last time." He spoke, seeming to sound annoyed as he suddenly pushed me against the wall a little more. "I don't understand what you're trying to do, Malik..." I said, feeling bothered from the fact that he was trying to act as if he weren't himself. Just what the hell was going on? But then- Oh, but then, his image faded away when I'd done nothing more than blink. It was that man- The same man that had taken the form of a Templar. But how? That had merely been a dream. I'd woken up in the other's Bureau, resting beside Malik within his bed. Was this a dream as well?

He pressed against me a little more as if to bring my attention back. Then there was that pain. That horrid, wretched aching that overtook me as it had last time. How often would this dream occur? I detested this. But still- I could not think, for the pain was overbearing. I grit my teeth and pulled my fingers from the other, grasping the side of my head. It was then that the stranger had stepped backwards and gave me space to breathe, though I.. I just couldn't stand this. This pain. It was so much.

"M-Malik." I groaned, feeling darkness flood over me.


End file.
